Jennifer Hudson’s Winnie Mandela Biopic Lands at Image Entertainment

Jennifer Hudson's Winnie Mandela Biopic Lands at Image Entertainment

Image Entertainment announced today its acquisition of domestic distribution rights to Jennifer Hudson-starrer “Winnie Mandela”, the biopic focusing on the wife of South African President Nelson Mandela that debuted at the Toronto Film Festival last fall after much delay.

Based on the book by Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob, the film adaptation was written and directed by Darrell Roodt (“Yesterday”). Terrence Howard plays Mr. Mandela, and the film is scheduled for a fall 2013 release.

Hudson has garnered only a handful of unenviable roles since her Oscar win for “Dreamgirls” in 2006, most recently on the axed TV series, “Smash.” “Winnie Mandela” could mark a return to winning ways for the former American Idol, who also lends her voice to a song by Diane Warren for the film. Though a tepid response out of Toronto (Winnie Mandela herself has also spoken out against it).